Conventionally, to facilitate operation and setting, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a multi-function machine is equipped with a touch panel on the surface of a liquid crystal panel of the apparatus, and is adapted to display the state of the apparatus on the touch panel as necessary and be capable of being set for the operation of the apparatus, etc., by operating the touch panel according to the content of the display thereon. Among image forming apparatuses adapted as above, to provide specific settings, an image forming apparatus is equipped with a special mode (hereinafter, “simulation mode”) for which operation method is not informed to the ordinary users, and is adapted to be capable of being set and adjusted for the apparatus by a service man having special knowledge. In this case, the operation mode of the apparatus has been switched to the simulation mode by a service man using a password set in the image forming apparatus previously, and settings are made and adjustment is executed for the apparatus. By using different passwords in response to the degree of difficulty of the setting or the adjustment, unprepared changes made to the settings of the apparatus are prevented.
FIG. 8 shows an example of a screen of user settings displayed on a touch panel of an image forming apparatus. The screen of the user settings includes, for example, indication of the total number of sheets of paper used, the screen contrast, data list print, settings of date and time, settings of feeding trays, registration of addressees, key operator programs, etc., and, in this example, the state where the items for the key operator programs are selected is shown.
FIGS. 9 and 10 show an example of an authentication information input screen to cause a setting screen of the key operator programs to be displayed on the touch panel of the image forming apparatus. An operator such as a service man inputs a key operator code that is authentication information, into this authentication information input screen using ten keys equipped to the image forming apparatus. When this authentication is successfully completed, the image forming apparatus displays a setting screen of key operator programs shown in FIG. 11 below.
FIG. 11 shows an example of a screen of key operator programs displayed on the touch panel of the image forming apparatus. The screen of the key operator programs includes setting items such as, for example, division administration, energy-saving settings, operation settings, device settings, system administration settings, copy settings, fax/image transmission settings, list/report print, key operator code change, product key input, etc. In this example, a state where the item of “device settings” is selected is shown. As described above, the operator who has been successfully authenticated on the authentication information input screen shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 can make various settings to the key operator programs shown in FIG. 11.
FIG. 12 shows an example of a screen of device settings displayed on the touch panel of the image forming apparatus. The screen of device settings includes items such as, for example, settings of an original script detecting apparatus (including items such as prohibition of use of a double-side copying function, prohibition of use of a mail bin stacker, prohibition of use of an original script feeder, prohibition of use of a paper sheet feeding desk, etc.) and security settings. In this example, a state where the item of “security settings” is selected is shown.
Relating to an apparatus that can be inputted with character information from a touch panel, apparatuses for which improvement of the operability is facilitated by adapting the apparatuses to be able to execute inputting with characters by causing a virtual keyboard to be displayed on a touch panel, are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. H11-133816, 2000-108453, and 2004-38407. Setting information including characters can be inputted using a virtual key board according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. H11-133816 and 2000-108453, and characters can be inputted using a virtual key board according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-38407. All of these applications disclose apparatuses that are adapted to improve the operability of the apparatus for inputting by using a virtual key board.
The password to be inputted from the touch panel, needed when the operation mode is switched to the simulation mode described above, is often inputted by simultaneously pressing down a plurality of keys or as digits using ten keys. Therefore, even an ordinary user can get to know easily the password through attending the work of the service man. When an ordinary user gets to know the password for switching the mode to the simulation mode for making special settings as described above, if the user makes settings carelessly resulting in malfunctions of an apparatus, or if the user changes important settings such as those concerning the security of the apparatus, problems such as leak of data will arise. This can not be solved by the inventions described in the above Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. H11-133816, 2000-108453, and 2004-38407.